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Biomedical subjects

G S Gray

Publications and source records attributed to G S Gray.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Opposing effects of CTLA4-Ig and anti-CD80 (B7-1) plus anti-CD86 (B7-2) on experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

The roles of the B7 receptors, CD80 and CD86, during actively induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis were examined with specific monoclonal antibodies and CTLA4-Ig. Injection of CTLA4-Ig on day 2 post-immunization resulted in decreased incidence and severity of resultant disease. Anti-CD80 injection on day 2 blocked development of the first disease episode. Subsequent relapses were unaffected. In contrast, injection of anti-CD86 alone had no effect. Surprisingly, combined anti-CD80 + anti-CD86 monoclonal antibody injection on day 2 resulted in marked exacerbation of disease. Examination of cytokine production in the draining lymph node cells demonstrated a reduction in both interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2 producing cells, but a dramatic increase in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha secretion in animals receiving both monoclonal antibodies. These results suggest distinct roles for CD80 and CD86 in the initiation of EAE, resulting in the diverse clinical outcomes observed in this model of EAE.

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Inhibition of transplant rejection following treatment with anti-B7-2 and anti-B7-1 antibodies.

Antigen-specific T cell activation depends initially on the interaction of the T cell receptor (TCR) with peptide/MHC. In addition, a costimulatory signal, mediated by distinct cell surface accessory molecules, is required for complete T cell activation leading to lymphokine production and proliferation. CD28 has been implicated as the major receptor on T cells responsible for delivering the costimulatory signal. Although two distinct ligands for CD28, B7-1 and B7-2, have been identified on antigen-presenting cells (APC), the co-stimulatory role of each molecule during a physiological immune response remains unresolved. In the present study, the relative roles of B7-1 and B7-2 interactions were evaluated in an allogeneic pancreatic islet transplant setting. In isolation, anti-B7-2 mAbs and, to a much lesser degree, anti-B7-1 mAbs suppressed T cell proliferative responses to allogeneic islets or splenic APC in vitro. Maximal inhibition of the allogeneic response was observed using a combination of the anti-B7-1 and anti-B7-2 mAbs. Administration of anti-B7-2 but not anti-B7-1 mAbs prolonged C3H allograft survival in B6 recipients, with a combination of both mAbs significantly prolonging rejection beyond either mAb alone. The immunosuppressive effects of the in vivo mAb treatment were not manifested in in vitro analyses as T cells isolated from suppressed mice responded normally to allogeneic stimuli in terms of both proliferation and lymphokine production. However, combined mAb therapy in vivo selectively delayed CD4+ T lymphocyte infiltration into the graft. These data suggest that both B7-1 and B7-2 costimulatory molecules are active in vivo, although B7-2 plays a clearly dominant role in this allograft model. The mechanism of immune suppression in vivo remains unresolved but may occur at sites distinct from the allograft.

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Acute graft-versus-host reaction can be aborted by blockade of costimulatory molecules.

Injection of parental lymphocytes into an unirradiated adult F1 host results in an acute GVH reaction characterized by immune deficiency, attack on host lymphohematopoietic tissues, and repopulation with donor-derived cells. All of these events result from the initial activation of donor lymphocytes by host alloantigens. Interaction of pairs of host and donor costimulatory molecules, in particular CD28/CTLA4 and B7-1/B7-2, play a crucial role in this initial activation of donor T cells. We demonstrate here that in vivo treatment of the host with high doses of CTLA4-Ig solely during the initial period of donor alloactivation can completely abort the subsequent development of GVH reaction. Although donor T cells are retained, CTLA4-Ig treatment reduces the initial endogenous cytokine production and arrests the subsequent expansion of donor T cells, the differentiation of anti-host effectors, and the development of severe immune deficiency. This result is consistent with the establishment of host-specific tolerance in the donor population, while maintaining host immune competence.

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Coblockade of the LFA1:ICAM and CD28/CTLA4:B7 pathways is a highly effective means of preventing acute lethal graft-versus-host disease induced by fully major histocompatibility complex-disparate donor grafts.

We have developed an in vitro system in which C57BL/6 donor splenocytes are exposed to B10.BR host alloantigens in the context of deficient CD28:B7 signaling as a means of preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Although 54% to 82% of MLR alloresponse was inhibited by cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4)-Ig treatment of host stimulator cells, treated splenocytes were still capable of causing GVHD when infused in vivo. By adding anti-leukocyte function antigen 1 (anti-LFA1) antibody to hCTLA4-Ig in vitro to coblock the LFA1:intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) signaling, splenic alloresponse was inhibited by > or = 89%, yet GVHD induction capabilities were retained. Because antigen-primed cells might be more susceptible to CD28:B7 blockade, we investigated whether hCTLA4-Ig alone, anti-LFA1 antibody alone, or the combination of both added to donor-antihost in vitro primed cells could reduce GVHD. To facilitate hyporesponsiveness induction and to block B7 and ICAM ligands that are upregulated during GVHD, these reagents were also administered to recipients post-BMT. We have shown that hCTLA4-Ig plus anti-LFA1 antibody is highly effective in preventing GVHD-induced lethality (88% to 100% of treated mice surviving versus 0% to 28% of controls surviving). For optimal prevention, both hCTLA4-Ig and anti-LFA1 must be used in vitro in the context of donor-antihost primed splenocytes and continued in vivo. This in vitro-in vivo combined approach was associated with donor engraftment, and recipients were not globally immunosuppressed. We conclude that blocking both the CD28/B7 and the LFA1:ICAM pathways are critical to effective GVHD prevention and may offer advantages to in vitro donor T-cell removal.

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Role of B7:CD28/CTLA-4 in the induction of chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

T cell activation requires both Ag/MHC recognition and costimulatory signals. The present studies were designed to test whether the loss of tolerance to myelin basic protein (MBP) requires costimulation by members of the B7 receptor family. CTLA-4Ig, a fusion protein ligand for B7-1 and B7-2, was used to assess the role of B7-mediated costimulation in chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by the transfer of MBP specific T cell lines. In adoptively transferred EAE, administering CTLA-4Ig to donor mice or during in vitro activation of MBP specific-T cells resulted in diminution of clinical disease. The presence of CTLA-4Ig during both the immunization and in vitro activation stages was most effective in preventing clinical signs of disease. This diminution in clinical disease was paralleled by a decreased proliferative response and reduced production of IL-2 and IL-4, but not IFN-gamma, after antigenic stimulation of encephalitogenic T cells in vitro. In contrast, CTLA-4Ig treatment of recipient animals after the transfer of MBP-activated T cells affected neither disease course nor severity. These results indicate that additional costimulatory pathways may be involved in established EAE, or that some cells are independent of costimulation or, alternatively, that CTLA-4Ig does not enter brain parenchyma in therapeutic concentrations. Thus, we conclude that costimulation provided by B7 molecules plays a major role in the development of encephalitogenic T cells and in the establishment of chronic relapsing EAE, a prototypic CD4+ T cell-mediated autoimmune disease.

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CTLA4 mediates antigen-specific apoptosis of human T cells.

The regulation of T cell-mediated immune responses requires a balance between amplification and generation of effector function and subsequent selective termination by clonal deletion. Although apoptosis of previously activated T cells can be induced by signaling of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, these molecules do not appear to regulate T-cell clonal deletion in an antigen-specific fashion. We demonstrate that cross-linking of the inducible T-cell surface molecule CTLA4 can mediate apoptosis of previously activated human T lymphocytes. This function appears to be antigen-restricted, since a concomitant signal T-cell receptor signal is required. Regulation of this pathway may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to delete antigen-specific activated T cells.

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Genomic organization of the gene coding for the costimulatory human B-lymphocyte antigen B7-2 (CD86).

The generation of an antigen-specific T-cell response requires that the T lymphocyte receive two signals from the antigen presenting cell. The specificity of this response is provided by antigen presented to the T lymphocyte and involves stimulation of the T lymphocyte via the T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex. The second, or costimulatory signal, can be provided by ligation of the B-lymphocyte activation antigens B7-1 (CD80) and B7.2 (CD86) to TCR antigen CD28. The cDNAs for both CD80 and CD86 have been isolated and are predicted to encode type 1 membrane proteins of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. The predicted protein is composed of a signal peptide followed by two Ig-like extracellular domains, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic tail. Here we report that the genomic organization of CD86 reflects its functional structure, and is similar to that found for CD80. The gene is composed of eight exons which span more than 22 kilobases. The predicted protein functional domains of signal peptide, extracellular IgV- and IgC-like regions, and transmembrane domain coincide with the genomic structure. Two independent sequences had been reported for CD86 cDNA which differed in their 5'untranslated (UT) regions. We find CD86 exons 1 and 2 correspond to these alternate 5'UT sequences. Splicing of exon 1 or 2 with the signal peptide encoding exon 3 would produce mRNA transcripts complementary to the reported cDNA clones. Exons 4 and 5 correspond to IgV- and IgC-like extracellular domains, respectively. Exon 6 encodes the transmembrane region and beginning of the cytoplasmic tail. Exons 7 and 8 encode the remainder of the cytoplasmic tail and 3'UT sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

B7-1 and B7-2 do not deliver identical costimulatory signals, since B7-2 but not B7-1 preferentially costimulates the initial production of IL-4.

The functional necessity for two CD28 counterreceptors (B7-1 and B7-2) is presently unknown. B7-1 and B7-2 equivalently costimulate IL-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) production and IL-2 receptor alpha and gamma chain expression. B7-2 induces significantly more IL-4 production than B7-1, with the greatest difference seen in naive T cells. Repetitive costimulation of CD4+ CD45RA+ T cells with B7-2 results in moderate levels of both IL-4 and IL-2, whereas repetitive costimulation with B7-1 results in high levels of IL-2 and low levels of IL-4. Therefore, B7-1 and B7-2 costimulation mediate distinct outcomes, since B7-2 provides an initial signal to induce naive T cells to become IL-4 producers, thereby directing the immune response more towards Th0/Th2, whereas B7-1 is a more neutral differentiative signal.

3T3 Cells↗

Distinct roles for B7-1 (CD-80) and B7-2 (CD-86) in the initiation of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

The activation and differentiation of T cells require both antigen/MHC recognition and costimulatory signals. The present studies examined the role of B7-1 (CD80) and B7-2 (CD86) costimulation in the prototypic autoimmune disorder, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). In adoptively transferred EAE, in vitro activation of myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific lymph node cells was inhibited by the combination of anti-CD80 plus anti-CD86, but not individually. However, in actively induced disease, one injection of anti-CD80 significantly reduced disease, while anti-CD86 exacerbated disease. Interestingly, one injection of CTLA-4Ig suppressed disease, while multiple injections resulted in enhanced disease. Thus, the costimulation provided by B7-1 molecules appears to be important for the development of encephalitogenic T cells. The enhanced disease caused by multiple injections of CTLA-4Ig or a single injection of anti-CD86 suggests an inhibitory function for CD86 interaction with its counterreceptors CD28 and CTLA-4 in EAE. Alternatively, these results are consistent with an essential timing requirement for the coordinated interaction of B7 and CD28 family receptors, and that disruption of this critical timing can have opposing results on the outcome of an immune response.

Animals↗

Very-low-dose streptozotocin induces diabetes in insulin promoter-mB7-1 transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice that express mouse B7-1 (mB7-1, recently designated CD80) on their pancreatic beta-cells maintain normal islet architecture, have normal pancreatic insulin content, and only rarely spontaneously develop insulitis and diabetes. Nevertheless, these mice display an extreme sensitivity to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Female mice were administered two STZ doses intraperitoneally, 20 and 40 mg/kg body wt, each for five consecutive days. Nontransgenic but otherwise syngeneic mice responded to the STZ with a moderate diminution in pancreatic insulin content but not with persistent glycosuria. In striking contrast, STZ administered to transgenic mice resulted in a severe diminution of pancreatic insulin content and in diabetes. Notably, the lower STZ dose resulted in diabetes only after a prolonged (26- to 100-day) latency. STZ-induced diabetes appears to be T-cell dependent, since treatment with T-cell-depleting (and in particular CD8+ subset-depleting) antibodies ameliorated the response. Anti-mB7-1 monoclonal antibody administration also prevented STZ-induced diabetes. Thus, unmasked mB7-1 is a required component in the pathway resulting in beta-cell killing. Immunohistological analysis revealed that early after STZ administration, both mB7-1 transgenic and nontransgenic mice developed insulitis. While this insulitis resolved in the nontransgenic mice, the islet-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in the transgenic mice were associated with complete beta-cell destruction. These data suggest that STZ-induced diabetes in mB7-1 transgenic mice is an immune-mediated process with distinct potential advantages over existing insulin-dependent diabetes models.

Animals↗

B7-1 expression decreases tumorigenicity and induces partial systemic immunity to murine neuroblastoma deficient in major histocompatibility complex and costimulatory molecules.

Neuroblastoma may escape an immune attack by virtue of its low expression of surface accessory molecules essential in the antitumor response. Murine neuroblastoma, neuro-2a, was transduced with the retroviral vector LB7-1SN to examine the influence of B7-1 expression on the immune response directed against a low major histocompatibility class (MHC) I and class II negative, B7-2, and ICAM-1 negative tumor. Using a retroperitoneal model for implantation of neuroblastoma in its natural site, we demonstrated that expression of B7-1 by neuro-2a reduces its tumorigenicity. Coinjection of B7-1-positive and -negative cells improved survival compared with mice receiving B7-1-negative cells alone. This was dependent on the ratio of B7-1+ to B7-1- neuro-2a cells injected. CD8+ and not CD4+ T-cell depletion significantly increased tumor-induced mortality in syngeneic A/J mice, indicating that B7-1 decreases tumorigenicity primarily by direct constimulation of CD8+ T cells. Rejection of N-2a/B7-1 tumors or preimmunization with irradiated N-2a/B7-1 cells die not increase protection to challenge with unmodified neuro-2a cells over mice vaccinated with N-2a/neo. Furthermore, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) precursor frequencies were not significantly higher after in vivo priming and in vitro stimulation with irradiated N-2a/B7-1 compared with N-2a/neo, indicating that B7-1 costimulation by the tumor, in the absence of adequate antigen presentation by MHC molecules, may limit the generation of effective CTLs.

Animals↗

CD2 is involved in maintenance and reversal of human alloantigen-specific clonal anergy.

Induction and maintenance of a state of T cell unresponsiveness to specific alloantigen would have significant implications for human organ transplantation. Using human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen DR7-specific helper T cell clones, we demonstrate that blockade of the B7 family of costimulatory molecules is sufficient to induce alloantigen-specific T cell clonal anergy. Anergized cells do not respond to alloantigen and a variety of costimulatory molecules, including B7-1, B7-2, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and lymphocyte function-associated molecule (LFA)-3. However, after culture in exogenous interleukin (IL)-2 for at least 7 d, anergized cells can respond to alloantigen in the presence of LFA-3. LFA-3 costimulation subsequently restores responsiveness to alloantigen in the presence of previously insufficient costimulatory signals. Expression of CD2R epitope is downregulated on anergic cells and is restored after 7 d of IL-2 culture. The loss of the CD2R is temporally associated with the inability of anergized cells to respond to LFA-3. These results suggest that in addition to blockade of B7 family members, inhibition of CD2 and, potentially, other costimulatory pathways that might reverse anergy will be necessary to maintain prolonged alloantigen-specific tolerance.

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IL-4 treatment of small splenic B cells induces costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2.

IL-4 has been shown to be involved in the early stages of B cell maturation. Changes induced by IL-4 include cell enlargement, increased viability, and increased MHC class II expression. However IL-4 alone does not induce B cell activation as defined by proliferation, lymphokine production, or Ig class switching. In this study, we demonstrate that incubation with IL-4 enhances the ability of small splenic murine B cells, normally poor stimulators of murine Th1 clones, to stimulate lymphokine production and proliferation by Th1 clones. Moreover, small resting B cells induce anergy, whereas IL-4-treated B cells do not. IL-4-treated B cells were found to express both B7 (B7-1) and a second ligand for CTLA4Ig (B7-2). Although IL-4 induces both B7-1 and B7-2, the kinetics of expression of these molecules are different: B7-2 is detected by 6 h, whereas B7-1 is not detectable until 48 h. In addition, only CTLA4Ig fully blocks IL-4 induced costimulatory activity; a mAb to B7-1 does not. Thus, these results suggest that IL-4 may function indirectly as a costimulatory factor by inducing costimulatory molecules on resting B cells. Additionally, these findings support our previous findings that an alternative ligand for CD28 and CTLA4 is important in providing costimulation.

Animals↗

Costimulator dependence of lymphokine secretion by naive and activated CD4+ T lymphocytes from TCR transgenic mice.

The role of costimulation in Ag-induced responses of naive and differentiated IL-2 and IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells has been examined using cells from mice expressing a transgenic TCR specific for cytochrome c (81-104) + I-Ek. IL-2 secretion by naive and pre-activated T cells is dependent on costimulation, because it is not induced with chemically fixed APCs and is significantly inhibited by the B7 antagonist, CTLA4-Ig. In contrast, IL-4 secretion by in vitro differentiated Th2-like cells is relatively independent of costimulators. Thus, the requirement for costimulation is related more to lymphokine secretion profiles than to the previous activation status of CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Abatacept↗

Mice expressing both B7-1 and viral glycoprotein on pancreatic beta cells along with glycoprotein-specific transgenic T cells develop diabetes due to a breakdown of T-lymphocyte unresponsiveness.

T lymphocytes have been implicated in the onset of many autoimmune diseases; however, the mechanisms underlying T-cell activation toward self antigens are poorly understood. To study whether T-lymphocyte costimulation can overcome the immunologic unresponsiveness observed in an in vivo model, we have created transgenic mice expressing the costimulatory mouse molecule B7-1, a ligand for the CD28 receptor, on pancreatic beta cells. We now report that triple-transgenic mice expressing both B7-1 and a viral glycoprotein on their beta cells, along with T cells expressing the viral-glycoprotein-specific transgenic T-cell receptor, all develop insulitis (lymphocytic infiltration of the pancreatic islets) and diabetes. In striking contrast, the T cells in double-transgenic mice expressing the same viral glycoprotein (but no B7) on their pancreatic beta cells and the transgenic T-cell receptor on their T cells, reported earlier, remain indifferent to the glycoprotein-expressing beta cells. In fact, all three transgenes are required to initiate immune-mediated destruction of the beta cells. Mice expressing any of the transgenes alone, or any two in combination, maintain normal islet architecture and never spontaneously develop insulitis or diabetes. Our results show that aberrant B7 expression on peripheral tissues may play an important role in the activation of self-reactive T cells and further suggest that abnormal expression of costimulatory receptors may be involved in various T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.

Animals↗

Absence of B7-dependent responses in CD28-deficient mice.

Costimulation of T cell proliferation can occur through the CD28 signal transduction pathway. In addition, other cell surface receptors, including the CD28 homolog CTLA-4, have been proposed to be capable of providing costimulatory signals. We have examined the response of CD28-deficient T cells to activation by a variety of agonists. We demonstrate that proliferation of CD28-deficient T cells in the presence of antigen-presenting cells or B7-1 transfectants is markedly reduced. Although CTLA-4 can be expressed on CD28-deficient T cells, we observed no B7-dependent costimulation in the absence of CD28. This data demonstrates that CD28 is the major B7-binding costimulatory ligand on T cells. Furthermore, our data suggest that CD28 is the primary, and perhaps exclusive, costimulatory receptor used by traditional antigen-presenting cells to augment the proliferation of antigen-activated T cells.

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